“For in the final analysis our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet, we all breathe the same air, we all cherish our children’s future, and we are all mortal.” John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Yesterday, President Bush announced the resignation of Alberto Gonzales as the Attorney General of the United States. President Bush was visibly angry in his remarks and portrayed this resignation as a result of political mudslinging.

This response from the President is not surprising. Gonzales is a close friend of George Bush and has been one of his closest associates since he started in politics. While a landslide of public condemnation from both parties against Gonzales, Bush had remained steadfastly loyal to his friend. It is surprising that Bush finally succumbed to the pressure against the AG and allowed him to resign.

One of the few traits I admire in George W. Bush (and believe me, this is about the only one) is his sense of loyalty. He has remained firm in his support of Harriet Meirs, Karl Rove, Alberto Gonzales in the face of amazing backlash from even people in his own party. So, if you are a friend of George's, then you will get an amazing level of support. There, I've said it. It is the last compliment I'm going to give the current president. Ever.

Back to Fredo. The reasons he should have been gone earlier are too numerous to mention. He was an abomination as AG to those who sincerely believe in civil liberties. Before he became AG, he was the White House Counsel (Bush's lawyer). He was the man who wrote that the Geneva Conventions articulating rules of war and of treatment of prisoner's of war was "quaint" and outdated. Mr. Gonzales was even then attempting to clear a runway to remove any obstacles to the administration's prosecution of the "war on terror".

Mr. Gonzales has been labeled by many of his detractors as incompetent. He's not. He's a talented lawyer who has helped George W. Bush every step of the way to presidency. If he was incompetent, the Bush acolytes would have gotten him out of the way. No, he's smart, and he was singularly focused on helping George W. Bush. This is where he got off track. It didn't have to be that way.

Traditionally, the Justice Department has kept an arm's length distance with administration policy and politics. While they would pursue in general an administration's policy towards a particular issue, such as prosecution of drug dealers, cracking down on immigration issues, etc. the Justice Department rarely was so overt in its political activities. The firings of 8 US attorneys was nothing more than political theatre. Gonzales got caught up in a series of lies about the reasons for this. Instead of saying straight away the firings were indeed political and "so what", he obfuscated. He said initially that the firings were due to performance. Then he said he didn't remember the details and that his deputy AG was responsible. Then he contradicted that statement. He was arrogant in front of the congressional committees he testified for. He did about everything he could to vocalize and show his disdain for anything not supporting George W. Bush. In my view, he has politicized the Justice Department to the point that the Inspector General needs to audit the organization's actions since Gonzales became AG and report to the Congress on its findings.

Gonzales could have been an excellent AG. Instead he was and is simply another Bush sycophant that ran out his welcome in Washington. Alberto will go back to Texas as has Karl, Harriet, Scott, Dan and the rest of the Texas contingent and do well. He'll likely write a book, land a prestigious job at a top-flight law firm in Texas, and continue to be a good friend of George's. He'll leave behind a record of missteps, mistakes, lies, and actions that have hurt the country.

Friday, August 24, 2007

You, the vast population of readers of my blog (all 10 of you) have voted. Your voices have been heard. George W. Bush is the Worst President in History. The vote tallies came in as follows:

Is George W Bush The Worst President Ever?

Yes! - Metaphysical Certitude, Worst in History6 (60%)

Yes - He definitely sucks2 (20%)

Not Bad, Not Good - He's just kinda slow1 (10%)

No Way - He's In my Top 5 of the best0 (0%)No Way ! - He Walks on Water! Heals The Sick, Raises The Dead!

1 (10%)

A whopping 80% of the respondents indicate either a Metaphysical Certitude or Yes, He Definitely Sucks which overwhelming puts the "He's the Worst" crowd on top of the poll. Only 1 of our readers indicated that he was the bestest, most terrific, most leaderest leader of all presidents. So, there you have it, what some of us have thought for years. He really sucks.

Friday, August 17, 2007

"We tunneled deep inside the nation's soul,We matter more than pounds and pence".

words by Sting

Today we hear of another tragedy at the Crandal Canyon mine in Utah where 3 rescue workers have died when a "mountain bump" or seismic action occurred in the mine and collapsed the tunnel the rescue works were digging in an attempt to get to the 6 traped coal miners that have been over a quarter mile below surface since the initial collapse occurred over a week ago. To date, there is no information as to the fate of the 6 trapped miners. Audio and optical equipment lowered into bore holes have only found equipment, but no trace of the trapped miners.

At issue of course is safety. Mining is one of the most hazardous occupations in the world. Even in the United States, where government regulation has vastly improved conditions for sub-surface miners, the job is still incredibly dangerous.

Let's get to the heart of the matter. Do we really need to be mining coal? Of course, the answer is yes, for now. There are not enough alternatives (green or otherwise) that would allow for a cessation of mining in the near term. However, focus should be made on developing new sources of energy that do not pose such hazardous circumstance s for working people.

Mining for coal will be with us for a long time to come. We must do a better job protecting our families, friends and neighbors who work in the mines. Would you be willing to pay more for your electricity if it meant safeguarding the miner? I would, I'm sure you would as well. Let's get word to Washington regarding improved safety measures. I'm not going to make this into a political rant, but more of a plea for improving work-place conditions for people which is a really important matter regardless of political stripe.

Let me know what you think. Our thoughts are with the miners and their families.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Congress decided to give the president the authority to conduct warrantless eavesdropping and surveillance against US citizens. There it is, no more, no less. Regardless of the reasons, the United States Congress has effectively flushed the 4th Amendment of the United States Constitution down the toilet.

For those of you who slept through civics classes, the 4th amendment reads as such:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons,houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shallnot be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supportedby Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched,and the persons or things to be seized.

So, because the supposed threat of Islamic extremism is so great to this country, the President has asked (no, scratch that, demanded) and the Congress has acquiesced into supplication and stripped you, me and every citizen in this country of the rights enumerated above. Note please that the world Warrant is capitalized in the sentence and it says no Warrant will be given but upon probable cause.

Ladies and gentlemen, the government of the country has been taken over by a quasi-fascist group who have expressly decided what is best for you, me and everyone else. They no longer even pretend to work for us, but rather flaunt their power and arrogance of action by letting us know they are much smarter than we are on this topic.

I don't know about you, but this isn't the country I grew up in. It's now a country run entirely on fear. Perhaps when I was young the spectre of the "Red Menace" wasn't as clearly portrayed as the Islamo-Terrorist that's waiting around the corner to blow me up. Perhaps the governments from the past didn't do a good enough job selling the fear. Perhaps it was the murder of 3000 people on 9/11 that allowed this to happen. Whatever the case, the notion that the "World has Changed since 9/11" is correct. We've become motivated and manipulated based on being frightened out of our wits.

Will the new powers given to the President effect my life in an adverse way? The hope is no it won't. The terrifying thing to me is that I simply don't know.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

What kind of person would tolerate a nickname like "Turd Blossom" anyway?

Anyway, Karl Rove announced his resignation yesterday in a somewhat emotional press conference along with his protege, George Walker Bush. Karl has made the all-too-typical announcement that it's time for him to get re-engaged with his family and as such leave political life. What lies in store for The Architect? Well, supposedly he's going back to Texas to work on a book about the Bush years.

Karl is indeed a very effective political strategist. While the last few years have not worked out as he had hoped, he was ridiculously successful pushing forward young George first into the governorship of Texas, and then on to two terms as president. Say what you want about him, he did the job.

Now, many people, democratic and republican operatives alike despise Karl Rove because he was all about winning for George. Many people attribute the fracture in the Congress to Karl's politicizing of just about every administrative function in the executive branch. Regardless, Karl is a winner and did what everyone else thought he couldn't do: Get an absolute moron elected to the presidency. I despise Karl Rove and his ilk, but have to give him credit for pulling off one of the biggest cons ever foisted upon the American people.

Karl, when the book is closed on the Bush Presidency, I hope you think long and hard on the misery you helped bring to the United States. That's a false hope of course, because you'll likely be working on Jeb Bush's presidential run for 2012.

Monday, August 06, 2007

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

The oath that any person elected to the office of President of the United States is an important one. The oath indicates a promise to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.

The current man holding the office of President has failed to keep this promise. He has failed to preserve the Constitution with his utter contempt of the document ("It's just a god damned piece of paper!"). He has failed to protect the Constitution with his administration's consistent violation of the 4th amendment, and he has failed to defend the Constitution by attempting to circumvent the separation of powers articulated therein. Mr. Bush instead wants to be a President on the order of Pervez Musharraf, or Hugo Chavez, and have complete control of the government. He wants to be the only person who counts and that the legislative and judicial branches of government are only there to do his bidding or sanction his actions.

Never in my life have I witnessed such a flagrant disregard for our history, our law and our creed. The preamble of the U.S. Constitution, probably the most holy of documents in our collective possession says the following:

"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."George Walker Bush has abused, violated and failed in every aspect the intent of the people who risked their lives to create this country. The man is the most shameful example of a president this country has known.

The sadness of the situation is only compounded by the evident apathy of the population at large. We have as sacrificed liberty for security, and have retained neither.

We have only ourselves to blame. On November 4, 2008, please take your obligation to vote seriously. We can not afford another George W. Bush.

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About Me

50 years and change, father of 3 who lives in the North Texas area. Have been crazy about politics, golf, horses, single malt whisky, cigars, etc. for years. Have a terrific wife who puts up with all my crap. The kids are terrific as kids usually are.